Felixstowe Port CEO Chris Lewis to step down early

It has been confirmed that Felixstowe Port’s CEO, Chris Lewis, is to stand down at the end of the year, after completing half of a two-year deal agreed in 2020.

Mr Lewis rejoined Hutchison Ports (UK) last November, with the understanding that he would help to restore some order, following concerns voiced by container haulage companies in particular.

Nevertheless, port congestion and dwell times have progressively worsened, as the rebound in cargo demand following the pandemic saw global shortages of drivers, containers and port staff. This delayed vessels, causing more congestion, with ships stacked up outside ports in Asia and elsewhere, causing schedules to slip.

In his first period of employment at Felixstowe, Mr Lewis joined the port staff in 1983, becoming CEO in 2006, before joining DP World’s London Gateway in 2010.